One Light, One Mind
by Captain Hilts
Summary: Two castaways mysteriously appear on the shores of Sentinel Beach, and are brought to Sandover Village. Where did they come from? Why are they here? Not even the Sage can explain the arrival of, 'the Other Boy.'
1. The Other Boy

Darkness was pressing in on the small seaside village. A strong wind was beginning to form, grey clouds heavy with rain rolling across the ocean. The palms that scattered the coastline were bending severely in the gale; sand spiraled into the air at times, making difficult to see through the grit.

Fisherman Ollie was no stranger to storms like this. In his younger days he'd gone straight into foul weather, just him and his boat, to see if he could survive such a thing. But luckily he'd long since lost the recklessness of youth and moved to Sandover to have what he believed was a peaceful existence, acting as the village's main fisherman. It was a position he was deeply proud of, and he was well-respected amongst the community. Ollie squinted his eyes to see through the needles of rain as he hauled in his tools and the catch of the day to keep them safe from the weather, having already beached his boat and covered it tightly with tarps. He scanned the village, relieved to note they had closed up their homes.

All save for one.

Ollie shook his head; it was the young sculptor who lived in a house closest to the beach. He was running through the downpour right toward him.

"Ollie! Ollie!"

He raised his eyebrows as the teen skidded into him, clearly desperate to get his attention. Ollie caught him in his arms and held him worriedly at arm's length.

"What's wrong, Laddie? You didn't lose the Muse out in this mess?"

"No! No…the beach! I need help- you need to help!"

He sounded distraught, his eyes scared beneath the dark violet slicks of hair plastered to his forehead. Clearly something was wrong. Ollie nodded as thunder boomed above.

"Alright, Let's go."

The Sculptor whirled around, sprinting back through the village, slipping across the wooden planks of the small bride that crossed a gap over the water. He was moving quickly, already panting like a dog as they ran. Ollie followed as he jumped on to the wet sand behind the teen, his feet sinking deep with every step. The horizon had turned a menacing charcoal black, the ocean a deep grey, waves angrily churning over the shoreline. The young artist turned to shout over his shoulder.

"Over this way!!"

Ollie looked ahead and his eyes widened. Two figures lay sprawled across the sand- a woman and child.

"My God! How long have they been here?" Ollie asked as they ran up to them.

"I don't know," was the reply, "I just found them!"

Ollie knelt down beside the woman as lightning trailed across the sky above. Thunder cracked soon after as he reached for the girl, who appeared to be conscious but wounded. She cringed as he moved to sling her arm around his shoulders. The child was unconscious; he looked no older than five years old. Rain lashed at their faces and Ollie knew they didn't have much time.

"You'll have to take the boy, Cody," he said to the Sculptor as he struggled to his feet, holding the woman in his arms.

Cody nodded, scooping up the child. "We need to get them to the Sage."

He turned and headed back to the village, Ollie following at his heels. Thunder crackled threateningly as they traveled, heads bowed against the wind. The palms were bending fiercely and sand spiraled in tight circles. Cody held the little boy closer to him, trying to shield him from the rain.

"Please be okay," he was saying to him, "Please be okay…"

The teen was the first to sprint up the planks leading to the Sage's hut, shouting.

"Samos! Hey! Someone help!!"

Lightning flickered threateningly, trailing across the sky in bright spider webs of light. Ollie appeared at Cody's shoulder, searching desperately for any sign of the Sage.

"Samos!!" he shouted.

There came a crack of light from one of the heavy wooden doors obscuring the workshop from view, and soon the man in question stood before them, silhouetted in the doorway. He seemed irritated at first, but his eyes widened, magnified by the spectacles he wore. Samos pushed open the door to allow them to come inside, straining against the fierce wind. Rain pounded down now in fat droplets, thudding against the planks and bouncing from the shoulders of the two men as they ran inside with the strange visitors in tow.

"By the Precursors," Samos whispered in disbelief, "What happened?"

"I heard screaming coming from the beach while I was readying the house for the storm; they were in the shallow end when I found them," Cody explained breathlessly, still clinging tightly to the child, "I thought the worst…"

Samos nodded, clearly disturbed by this knowledge. He looked up at Ollie, motioning for him to lay the woman on the table top he had recently cleared. The Sage placed a pillow from a nearby bench behind her head as he said,

"You did the right thing in bringing them here, Cody. I only pray I can help them."

Samos nodded to the child. "Is he breathing?"

Cody pressed his ear to the boy's chest, relieved to hear a heartbeat and the normal rise and fall of breaths. He sniffed as he listened, water dripping from his clothes profusely.

"Yeah. I think he just got a hit on the head or something."

Gently, he ran his fingers through the boy's hair, and could feel a decent-sized bump on the side of his head. Samos looked at the child wearily, turning to quickly rummage through the shelves off to his left, grabbing various jars of Eco. The girl was tossing her head, struggling to keep awake.

"You'll have to hold him for awhile, Cody," Samos said, "Can you do that for me?"

The Sculptor nodded, carefully adjusting his grip on the boy, turning his gaze to the wounded woman lying on the table.

She was beautiful, in all actuality, with full pink lips and a small rounded nose. Her bright orange hair was tied back into a long ponytail, which curled around her neck and stuck fast due to the rain. Bangs poked out from beneath the leather gap attached to a pair of goggles that she wore on the top of her head; a loose chocolate brown dress hung to her knees, a dark green blouse beneath it. She also wore a pair of leather sandals that strapped around her ankles and a gauntlet on her right arm that shined dull silver in the light.

Cody found himself caught up in her beauty, and failed to notice what Ollie saw. Thunder crackled menacingly outside as he stepped closer to inspect the girl. Her skin was a strange pale color- a slight lavender tinged with a hue of blue. Scratches and cuts glistened red on her limbs.

"Samos, what's wrong with her?" Ollie questioned, quietly.

The Sage had found everything he was looking for, hurriedly coming back to the table. His eyes scanned the woman briefly before he set to work unscrewing the caps from the jars.

"Looks like Eco poisoning," he answered with surprising calm. Something bright green swirled in the glass as he held it over the girl. "From what I can tell, it's in the early stages. She's been exposed to Dark Eco and- strangely- blue Eco."

Ollie took a small step back, knowing how dangerous something like that could be. Cody remained where he was however, trying to swallow a lump that had formed in his throat. He examined the little boy in his arms, relieved to see he appeared normal, save for being slightly pale. A brilliant flash of emerald suddenly caught his attention and he watched in awe as the healing Eco swirled above the young woman. Samos waved his arms as he stared intently at the substance, directing it to settle over her. There was another dull flash as it was absorbed into her body, and the three men watched on with bated breath for her reaction. Rain thudded on to the roof of the hut in the silence that followed and lightning flickered yet again outside the windows as they waited.

The woman suddenly drew in a sharp breath and coughed, rolling on to her side. Samos gently laid a hand on her arm; Ollie and Cody's shoulders slouched in relief. The girl cringed, groaning in pain. She curled up slightly, holding her stomach.

"...Wh-where..am I?" she murmured.

"Sandover Village," Samos answered, "These gentlemen found you on the beach a few minutes ago-"

The woman coughed again and moaned, her arms trembling from the effort of trying to lift herself up. Samos tried to stop her, but she gripped a fistful of his tunic and said,

"My son! Where is he?"

Cody walked toward her quickly so she could see the little boy, and she seemed to relax, allowing the Sage to gently push on her shoulder so she could lie down once again. She placed her hand on the child's forehead, as if touching him gave her strength.

He seemed to share the same physical traits as his mother, though his hair was a bright yellow, the faintest highlight of orange visible. His rounded nose was similar to hers; he wore a light blue tunic, a dark hooded jacket over top. He also wore khaki trousers and was barefoot.

Cody lifted his gaze back to the woman, rainwater beading on her forehead. Her skin showed bright with moisture; she clutched her stomach again and blew out a breath, squinting in the light as if it pained her.

"What's your name?" Cody asked her.

She winced at a sudden ache. "M-Mina…"

"Well, you're safe here, Mina; you and your son."

She curled her fingers into fists, nodding slightly. Samos had grasped her wrist, seemingly checking her pulse. Cody noticed strange lettering on the hem of her dress; it looked similar to Precursor writing, only with a few differences.

"Where are you from, Mina?" Samos asked after he'd finished with her pulse. He walked up to carefully inspect the unconscious child.

She watched him intently, tensed slightly as they looked him over. Tears shined behind her eyes as she gazed at her son. It pained her to see him that way and she knew it was her fault.

"We…are from the…Grecca Islands," Mina finally said, gulping in a few breaths to calm herself.

Cody frowned, exchanging looks with Ollie. Samos gently tilted the child's head back to inspect for wounds, finding only a small scrape on his chin. Cody readjusted his grip on the boy only slightly, his arms starting to tingle with numbness.

"Grecca," Samos mused, feeling a strange pang of familiarity.

"Yes…there is civil war on the Islands, now. My husband was driven into the army and was killed; my son and I escaped. Someone told me to head for Sandover Village…that we would be safe there." Mina winced and sucked in a breath through her teeth, a terrible grimace crossing her face.

"You were merchants of some kind?" Ollie suddenly asked, walking closer.

Cody looked at her sympathetically; Mina's jade green eyes settled on the fisherman and she managed a nod.

"My husband was before…I was an Archer."

Mina pointed to her goggles with a shaking hand, as if to prove this fact. Ollie directed his attention to them curiously; Cody frowned as Samos made his way back over to the table, having finished treating the boy. Mina whimpered slightly, but quickly steeled herself. Ollie appeared surprised.

"I've heard of your land," he said, "Archers are specially trained warriors; they are very talented, almost legendary in this part of the world. I'm most surprised to have met a woman Archer."

Mina actually smiled. "I am one of three female members. We protect the Rulers…but the Queen requested I leave to protect my son…" she paused to cough roughly, but forced herself to continue. "My ship was attacked- I don't know by what, but they wanted us dead."

Samos moved to stand beside her, taking her arm in his hand. He straightened it out, disinfecting a spot on her forearm with a swab.

"Your English is very good, Mina," he told her as he presented a small syringe filled with liquid Eco.

"Thank-you," she replied with the hint of a smile.

Samos pushed the needle into her arm and she cried out, hitting the back of her head on the table as she gritted her teeth in pain. The Sage looked at her apologetically, but she shook her head, taking somewhat shallow breaths.

"It will take away the stiffness in your limbs, as well as lessen the pain," he explained.

The young artist moved to sit on the table beside her and she opened her eyes, her expression softening upon seeing her son. Mina looked up at Cody and smiled. He returned the gesture, softly asking,

"Tell us what happened. We might be able to tell you who hurt you."

Mina closed her eyes and sighed, listening to the steady sheet of rain pattering on to the roof. The wind still howled outside and the wooden planks of the hut creaked from the force. Mina frowned as the words came to her.

"…They were creatures," she began, her voice stronger now that the pain had ebbed away. Her accent was less noticeable as she continued. "But I swear…someone was there, leading them…I… I could be wrong," Mina shook her head. "Either way, I hid the baby in the lower deck and fought the beasts."

She opened her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"There were too many. They destroyed the ship; my arrows are made from Eco crystals, and the creatures shattered them in the attack. Dark Eco splashed over everything, myself included. The fuel ignited as well...The last thing I remember is hitting the water…thank the Precursors we survived."

The rain increased in intensity outside; thunder boomed loudly, rattling the foundation of the workshop. Sand fell from the roof as lightning flashed again. Suddenly, the little boy jerked awake, blue eyes wide in terror. He struggled in Cody's grasp, who nearly dropped him out of surprise.

"Whoa, take it easy, little guy!"

"Mama!" the boy cried.

Mina slowly rose to a sitting position, slinging her legs over the table. She leaned forward to take her son in her arms. He embraced her fiercely, burying his face in her clothes, trembling. The young woman kissed the top of his head and held him close. The three men watched on somewhat cautiously.

"I'm scared, Ma! Where are we?!" the child sobbed.

Mina gently pulled him away from her to gaze into his eyes, wiping the tears from his cheeks with her thumbs. She brushed the curling bangs from his forehead reassuringly, and he sniffled, biting his lip as he awaited an answer.

"We are _safe_, Daxter. There is nothing left to harm us, my love," Mina told him in a soft voice.

The boy nodded, sniffing. He moved to sit in his mother's lap, cuddling close to her and staring critically at the others around them. He drew his knees up to his chest and Mina wrapped her arms around him, planting another kiss on his freckled cheek. She placed his head under her chin and closed her eyes.

Samos appeared shaken by something. He took a few steps back toward the table, and the child edged closer to Mina, looking wearily over his shoulder at the Sage.

"I'm sorry," Samos began, "Your son's name is…?"

"Daxter!" the boy informed him, scowling.

Samos repeated the name, shaking his head slightly. He looked back at the yellow-haired child, who was still frowning disapprovingly at him. Mina hugged him comfortingly and he presently stuck his thumb in his mouth, sighing through his nose.

"Are you alright, Samos?" Ollie asked.

The Sage tried to blink out of hid daze, but couldn't. Mina, in spite of how pained she looked, laughed lightly. She ran her fingers through her son's damp hair, combing out the little tangles as she did so. His wide eyes scanned the room curiously, still pressed fearfully against his mother.

"I know it may sound strange to you, but in Grek, '_Daxter_' means 'adventurer.' We named him so for a good reason."

"He certainly lives up to it," Samos muttered under his breath.

Little Daxter's scowl returned as his gaze settled back on the Sage, still sucking rapidly on his thumb. Mina winced at the small jabs of pain in her back and carefully adjusted her position. Samos would have said something, but a door opened behind him and his four-year-old daughter appeared from behind it, rubbing her eyes roughly. She wore a little pink night gown and her aqua hair was in disarray.

"Daddy," she said, "What's going on?"

Her bright emerald eyes settled on the only unfamiliar faces she saw: Mina and Daxter. She looked at them for a long while, as if trying to determine who they were. The woman smiled at her warmly.

"_YahSu_, little one," she said.

The girl frowned. "Hi…"

She noticed then there was a little boy in the woman's lap, and tried to see him, standing on her tip-toes. Samos stepped in front of her in that instant, blocking her view. He picked her up in a small embrace, balancing her atop his arms.

"Keira…go back to bed, dear," he advised her, walking back toward her room.

She yawned, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a lazy hug. Her eyes met with the woman's once again, and she smiled at her. The little boy was trying to look at her as well, his thumb still planted firmly in his mouth. His mother whispered something to him in a different language and a curious expression crossed his face. Keria was automatically interested at the prospect of speaking to people who spoke differently from her.

"Are you bothered by the storm?" Samos asked her, gently.

Keria shook her head. "I'm worried about you, Daddy. You didn't go to sleep yet."

"I'm alright, sweetheart," Samos chuckled, "Just talking with Ollie and Cody, that's all."

The little girl nodded this time, fluffy hair bobbing up and down. Samos coaxed her off to bed in spite of how interested she seemed in their new visitors.

Mina listened to the Sage put his daughter to bed and bit her lip, hugging Daxter closer to her. He seemed tired as well and let out a big yawn, revealing his slightly crooked front teeth. Mina smiled at him and brushed the hair from his eyes once again, ignoring the pains that were now shooting up the length of her back. Samos arrived back in the room after a few minutes, smiling apologetically at the group.

"Keira is just too curious some times," he sighed.

Mina smiled, though it looked more like a grimace. "She's beautiful, Samos," she told him.

His gaze fell back to the young woman and he noticed her skin had turned lighter and her eyes looked sunken in. she was beginning to shiver slightly as though she were cold. Her son, however, was unaware of how sickly she looked, curling up in her arms and nudging closer to her, rubbing his cheek in the soft cloth of her dress. He closed his eyes, still sucking contentedly on his thumb.

Cody had edged closer to Mina, and she allowed him to wrap his arm around her as Samos injected another dose of liquid Eco into her veins. She winced and wiped away the sweat from her cheeks with a free hand. The rain had dissipated somewhat, but thunder still rumbled threateningly outside.

"…I know it's getting worse," she whispered, laying her head on Cody's shoulder as another series of tremors ran through her body.

Ollie shook his head. "No, Lass. What kind of thinkin' is that?"

Mina closed her eyes as a dull pain made her shiver yet again.

"All warriors know when their time has come," she said.

Cody's grip increased protectively around her; Ollie leaned against the wall and massaged his temples. Daxter twitched in his sleep and whined slightly, as if having a bad dream. Mina gently stroked his hair and he stopped fussing. Samos sighed; Mina opened her eyes and gave him a small smile.

"How much time do I have?"

Her voice was low and strained, but still strong. She gazed down at the sleeping boy in her arms as she awaited an answer.

"…Not very long, I'm afraid," Samos murmured. "The Dark Eco has corrupted too much for me to heal you. Mina…I'm so sorry."

She shook her head. "You did all you could, Samos- more than I could ask for. I am humbled by your kindness."

Mina felt needles of pain travel up her arms and gritted her teeth, waiting for it to pass. When it subsided, she could feel something swirling in her stomach, something that burned uncomfortably within. The fire was spreading, and she could feel it coursing through her veins. Tears came to her eyes, but she blinked them away. When she spoke, it came in a forced, stilted voice.

"I have no right to ask you people of anything," Mina paused to gather her bearings as the Dark Eco burned through the muscles in her arms. "But…please. Take my son. Take Daxter, please- keep him safe."

She held the toddler close to her, pressing him gently to her chest. He sighed and wrapped his arm about her shoulder, leaning his head against her. She pressed her cheek to him, feeling his little heart beating against hers, and smiled. She ran her fingers through his hair, unable to stop the tears this time. But her voice never wavered.

"The Greccians are a proud people," Mina told the three men in a whisper. "We are courageous, talented, tenacious… tell Daxter these things. Tell him he _is_ these things."

Mina looked up at them pleadingly. All nodded solemnly.

"You have my word, Lass," Ollie said.

She smiled slightly, burying her face one final time in Daxter's hair. Cody's eyes had glazed with tears and he stared vacantly at his feet, waiting for what else she had to say. Mina breathed a hiccupping sigh, squeezing her eyes shut as pain circulated through her legs, neck and chest. Her grip on Daxter loosened.

"…He does not understand your culture," she whimpered, "You must be patient with him. Daxter has an irreversible sense of curiosity…" Mina shook her head, fighting to tell them. "Do not hate him for such a thing."

She hugged her son tightly one final time, holding back a desperate sob.

"_Sa-aga-po_," she whispered to him.

Mina gently handed him to the Sculptor, who took him back carefully in his arms, almost freighted he would hurt the child.

"Daxter…is my life," Mina said, softly. She took the goggles from her head and pressed them into Cody's hand. "Please, gentleman, take care of him. Tell him I love him, so very much…"

The rain had finally stopped. Samos instructed the Sculptor and the Fisherman to take Daxter and Keira upstairs to the Lab, and they did as they were told. Outside the air was cool and the wind had died down considerably. The dark clouds had moved behind the mountains; above, the moon showed bright, its reflection rippling on the surface of the ocean. Cody gently laid Daxter down on one of the benches and sat on the floor in font of him, drawing his knees close to his chest. Ollie followed soon after and left Keira on the bench as well, walking back to the shop at Samos' request. Cody buried his head in his arms and waited for his heavy heart to lighten.

Mina passed away a few minutes after sunrise. Samos had made her passing as gently as possible, giving her more Eco injections to take away the pain. Ollie stayed to comfort the both of them. He arrived back in the lab soon after, and Cody looked up at him.

"She's gone, right?" the young artist asked him, dimly.

"Aye," Ollie sighed, "Peacefully."

Cody's eyes swiveled to the sleeping boy, still sucking every now and then on this thumb, completely unaware of how his life had changed.

"What do we tell him?"

"…Everything she wanted us to tell him."

"But she's _gone_, Ollie," the Sculptor reminded him firmly, "How do we tell him that?"

The Fisherman sighed, hanging his head. He paused at the doorway, watching as the sun rose in the East, turning the sky a dull pink.

"The truth," he finally said, "She's in a better place, now…"


	2. Me, Too

A town meeting was held for the first time in months. Samos had asked for Cody to visit all of the villagers, waking them up if need-be. Everyone gathered inside the Mayor's large hut, sitting around the small bonfire in the center of the room. They looked slightly disheveled, being dressed in their nightclothes. The Mayor had lit the room using several candles, which hung in lanterns above; the firelight cast warm colors along the walls. A collective murmur had filled the space; clearly the villagers were not pleased with being awakened this early in the morning, particularly after such a violent storm.

Samos entered the hut, and all eyes turned to face him. He paused a moment to gaze at them before continuing on his course to stand beside the Mayor. The large wooden gears of the windmill creaked loudly in the silence that followed. Cody took a seat on the table at the front of the room, exchanging weary looks with Ollie. The Mayor was the first to break the silence.

"Samos, what's going on? You are beginning to frighten us."

The group collectively agreed, staring questioningly at the Sage for an answer. Samos sighed and addressed them.

"During the storm, Cody discovered two castaways on the beach. He and Ollie brought them to me, but I was only able to save one-"

The villagers gasped in unison, and the murmurs reached a crescendo once again. Samos pursed his lips and waited for the noise to die down.

"What happened to them? What was wrong?" asked an older woman, known as Sandover's birdwatcher.

"They are refugees from the Grecca Islands, coming here after being promised safety. We have reason to believe Lurkers attacked their ship and left them to die," Samos explained, watching as the people around him stared back grim-faced. "The young woman suffered from severe Dark Eco poisoning, and I was not able to save her. Only her son survived."

"Dark Eco?" the Mayor echoed, "Samos, you know how dangerous it can be! She could have infected the whole village!"

The Sage fought for his voice to be heard over the chorus of nervous voices. Cody shook his head, raking his fingers through his hair.

"It cannot be spread in that way- I knew what I was doing when she was brought to me."

"You said her son survived?" the same woman asked.

"Yes," Samos nodded. "Which is in part why I requested an audience with all of you. We need to discuss living arrangements for this boy. His name is Daxter, and he is about the same age as Geoffrey's nephew, Jak."

There was a beat of silence; the fire crackled and popped loudly as everyone seemingly absorbed the information. The Mayor was the first to speak. He was a nervous man in nature, constantly worried about political trivialities and re-elections. He made a habit of wringing his hands and spoke in a somewhat hurried, stuttering voice.

"A-Are you suggesting we take in the boy?"

"Yes, sir, that is what I am suggesting," Samos replied with a hint of anger to his voice.

"But, with all due respect…with the arrival of little Jak and your daughter, things have been a bit hectic in the last few years. Children put quite a strain on food and resources…"

"He is right," agreed Zeb, the old farmer whose herd of Yakows were a main source of the village's food and trade. "I'm not one to say children are burdens, but to have little 'uns here amongst us is quite a challenge."

"And we don't even know anything about this boy," added the birdwatcher, "He's a foreigner to us; can he even speak English?"

"He can communicate just fine. Almost as well as Keria," Samos growled.

"Well, I do know a couple in Rock Village who would be willing to adopt the child…"

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Cody suddenly blurted.

Everyone turned to look at him, surprised. He faltered under their intense gaze, but recovered quickly, sliding from the table to a standing position.

"Nearly all of you are implying that the two children we have here are so incredibly _hard _to take care of; that all they do is take away our food and water! Is anyone listening to themselves, here?! Jak and Keira are great kids- if you ask me, we should welcome this new child-an _orphan_, if I may remind you. This place could use more children in it!"

"Cody," the Mayor began.

"No, I'm serious! What happened to us to make us this way?! So what if the kid is from a place we've never been- did anyone question where Jak came from?"

"Cody!" Samos barked, "That is enough."

The young sculptor recognized the tone of voice and heaved a sigh, forcing himself to take his place back on the table. He mumbled an apology, shaking his head. Ollie clapped a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. Another man joined the conversation; Geoffrey, who had been known to have traveled several lands in his younger days.

"I have heard of Grecca," he said, "Very different customs than ours, though the people are quite friendly- very extroverted, if I remember correctly. I don't know too much about them aside from such things…I'm not sure how the other children would respond to our 'visitor'."

"I don't like this, Samos. It's too dangerous by my line of thinking," the Mayor piped up, his voice hurried and wavering slightly. "You said Lurkers attacked these people? We've never once had them this close to the village; who is to say we won't bring them closer by having the boy here? Perhaps they are still looking for him!"

A worried murmur of voices filled the room. A furious look had crossed Cody's face, but Ollie gripped his shoulder tightly and he bit down a shout. Samos was not looking pleased, either.

"That is nonsense! No Lurkers have attacked the village and it will remain so! And you know as well as I that it is next to impossible for us to reach Rock Village from here unless we use the warp gate; I'm not sure the Blue Sage would be willing to accept this boy if we have abandoned him as well."

The hut had fallen into silence and Samos studied everyone critically; he could tell this discussion was bothering Cody and managed to cast him a sympathetic look before continuing.

"It has fallen upon us to take care of Daxter, and we will do it. The matter cannot be argued further."

"But Samos-!"

"Mr. Mayor, it has been decided. The child is now our responsibility; all of you will just have to accept that."

The voices reached a somewhat agitated crescendo, but the Sage ignored it, moving to leave the hut. Cody followed him, a peculiar expression of relief and irritation across his face. Samos stood in the center of the village, gazing up at his hut where his daughter and the new child slept soundly.

"They will not trust me any longer, Cody," Samos sighed, "But…that boy…he can't be sent anywhere else. He_ must_ live here."

The young artist frowned curiously at him, watching as his companion seemingly struggled with his thoughts. The Sage knew what was going to happen as soon as the woman said the child's name. He had hoped everything had already been set in motion; but how could he forget the young man's companion? The now-distant memories of the duo that had saved him swirled briefly into awareness, but he shook his head, desperate to clear his thoughts. Samos looked over at the sculptor and sighed wearily once again.

"Already too many things have changed…"

*******

He had always liked the beach. It held fond memories or him: fishing with this father, swimming nearly all day with the other children, watching the sun sink into the ocean and waiting for the stars to shine…

But he liked most the times when his mother would take him to the shore at sunset, when there was no one around. He would watch as she trained with her bow and practice arrows; if he closed his eyes he could still see the scarlet arrows arching through the air, clearly seen against the darkening sky.

Daxter gripped another rock in his hand and threw it, watching as it disappeared over the edge of the rock wall. He sat in the sun on one of the large stone structures that looked out across the seemingly endless stretch of ocean. The one he occupied was somewhat crumpled, parts of the stone archway and railing weathered and knocked away by the storms. Daxter's eyes settled lazily on the horizon, gazing ahead at the small islands that were visible in the distance.

It had been three weeks since he'd been living in Sandover, and he didn't like it.

Every person he'd been sent to live with so far couldn't tolerate him for more than a week. The last person to have kept him in their residence was the old woman. Daxter had never seen so many birds in once place, but they reminded him of the ones he'd seen at home. It bothered him that the most beautiful ones were kept in cages, tweeting at him and flapping their wings. So he carried the cages outside while the woman had gone to the Sage's hut and freed all the birds. He'd actually smiled that day, watching as they all streaked out of their prison into the sky as flashes of green, yellow and bright red. The woman had been furious with him and demanded that he be sent with someone else. Daxter still couldn't understand what he'd done wrong.

Nearly all the villagers seemed to avoid him as if he had some kind of sickness. The only ones who talked to him were Cody the artist and a fisherman named Ollie. The Sage was there as well, though Daxter found him too mean. He liked Cody the best, however; the young sculptor let him stay in his home between being kicked out of other places and was building Daxter his own little hut not too far from the fisherman's. There were so many things he wasn't allowed to do, and exploring on his own was one of them; but he'd managed to avoid the Sage's watchful eye that day.

His fingers grasped another rock and he bounced it around in his palm a few times. The waves lapped the shore below and he could smell the faint saltiness of the water as a breeze gently pushed back his hair. Daxter angrily chucked the rock and it shattered against the wall. The goggles on his head slipped down over his eyes, being much too big for him. He felt tears burn and tried to force them away as he gazed through the ruby-tinted glass. Daxter knew they were his mother's; the leather was worn in places from her fingers and still smelled faintly of her hair. More tears came and he couldn't stop them, the strange view through the goggles blurring around him. He pushed the cap to the top of his head, his bangs poking out from underneath as he rubbed away the droplets from his cheeks.

"Why did she leave me here?" he asked, his weak little voice slightly amplified by the hollow space.

Daxter buried his face in his arms, and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to pretend he was back home. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and hugged his knees firmly.

"Hello…?" said a sweet, gentle voice.

He turned to look over his shoulder, quickly popping his thumb from his mouth. The Sage's daughter was standing behind him. She smiled, vivid green eyes shining. Daxter turned his back on her and hugged his knees tighter.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you," he said.

The girl walked closer, her yellow sundress bright as she stepped into the rays of light. Daxter tried to ignore her, staring out across the ocean with a scowl.

"Well…Daddy doesn't like it when I talk to any boys," she told him, "My name's Keira."

"I know you're name," Daxter replied, still scowling.

"I know yours, too!"

Daxter's scowl deepened. Keira looked down at him curiously, her hair falling into her eyes. The boy squirmed slightly under her gaze and scrambled to his feet, clambering back down the structure to sit on one of the large steps. Keira frowned.

"Where are you going, Daxter?" she called.

"Go away," he snapped.

He pushed the goggles back up on to his head and clutched his knees once again, training his gaze instead on the waterfall nearby. The girl's footsteps sounded behind him and he heaved a sigh.

Keria studied him for a moment, having never really seen him up close. Ever since she'd caught a glimpse of him in the shop she wondered about him. He looked different from the people she was used to; he wore baggy hand-me-downs from Cody: a dark blue shirt that had the sleeves cut down to size and a pair of dirty khaki trousers. His hair was messy and stuck out in different directions, obviously from neglecting to brush it; his skin was tan and he had freckles on his face, which Keira had never really seen before- she'd asked her father what they were earlier.

"I think we can be friends," Keira said, brightly.

"I don't want to be your friend," Daxter retorted, "Leave me alone!"

Keria bit her lip. She walked up to him and sat right beside him on the step. He glared at her and scooted further away from her. Keira fiddled with a wrinkle in her dress and sighed.

"Daxter…I lost my mommy, too," she told him in a soft voice.

He didn't say anything. The wind rustled their hair and clothes in the silence that followed. Keira absently drew a line in the sand with her toe.

"…You did?" Daxter whispered.

Keira nodded. "Daddy told me she got sick when I was a baby, and she passed away after I was born." She looked over at the boy and scooted closer to him.

"I miss her a lot, but Daddy tells me stories about her and I have a picture of her, so she's always with me. Daddy says that I look just like her."

Daxter finally looked over at her, eyes shining with tears. She smiled at him.

"Your mommy was very pretty, Daxter."

He sniffed and nodded, resisting the urge to put his thumb in his mouth, feeling tears sting. Keria gently laid a hand on his arm, and he allowed her this action.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're welcome," Keira replied cheerfully, "I don't understand why Daddy says I can't talk to you. I think he's just being silly. Protective- that's what Cody says."

Daxter shrugged, rubbing his eyes. "Maybe he doesn't like me. The village doesn't."

"I like you," said Keira.

She looked at him curiously, watching as he stared at her. She giggled, obviously not understanding how important her words were to him. There was some kind of trust between them now. Keira grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. He was much taller than her, but she didn't seem to notice. He stumbled through the sand after her, asking,

"Where are we going?"

Keira answered his question with another question.

"Want to play Tag?"

Daxter frowned. "What's that?"

Keira stopped walking and just gazed at him. He raised his eyebrows at her, obviously awaiting an answer. The little girl sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

"You didn't have _Tag_ in Grecca? What did you do all day?!"

Daxter laughed, for the first time in a long time feeling an actual smile spread across his face. Keira smiled at him, grabbing his hand again and leading him away from the tall stone structures. She shook her head.

"I'll teach you, Daxter. It'll be fun!"

Keira turned to look at him over her shoulder. He looked a bit apprehensive, but willing to try it, seeing as how she was the only other kid he had spoken to. Eventually, Keria had explained the rules of Tag to him, and he seemed to catch on fairly quickly. The only problem was, he got too good at it.

"Tag, you're it!" Daxter cackled.

He practically shoved Keira across the beach and she went sprawling into the sand. She yelped, rubbing her bottom. Daxter looked apologetic for what he'd done, but Keira was flustered.

"Play nice, Daxter!" she told him plaintively.

"…Sorry."

Keria scrambled to her feet, brushing sand from her dress. She sighed, the wind blowing her hair into her eyes.

"It's okay…"

They sat in the sand together, legs stretched out in front of them so the waves rolled over them. Daxter almost felt at peace, but the goggles were still heavy on his head, and each time he touched them they reminded him of her. It had only been mere weeks since he was without her; he was ashamed to admit that he was afraid of the dark now. What would his father have to say about that? Daxter sighed, wiggling his toes free of sand, wondering if he would ever feel right here.

"…So are we friends _now_?" Keira suddenly asked.

Daxter took a moment, watching the sunlight sparkling on the ocean. He nodded.

"Yeah, I think so."

Keria beamed. She started kicking her legs, splashing the water into the air. Daxter copied her movements and together they made a mess, giggling all the while, reveling in the promise of a new-found friendship.


	3. Daily Lesson

**Author's Note: Hello there! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, including my non-logged in ones. I thank you guys here, because I can't otherwise. :D Hope everyone is liking it so far. Please let me know how I'm doing, whether I'm in character, if any of this makes sense, stuff like that. I'd love for feedback. ha ha. Thanks again, and please enjoy! **

The sun had just begun to rise in the eastern sky as Daxter shuffled his way up the boards leading to the Sage's hut. He yawned and scratched his head of unkempt hair, feeling bitter about having to get up so early in the morning for his daily classes. Samos had recently been giving him school lessons after the third week, only they had been at night after Daxter had already eaten dinner at Cody's house. Now, for some strange reason, they were early in the morning. Daxter was never one to wake up earlier than he had to, even for school. Back home, he'd gone to classes at the Palace, and they were fun. The ones the Sage set up for him were boring- none of them involved going down to the beach to look in tide pools for creatures or naming the constellations you could see at night. All Samos did was talk. And Daxter did not respond well to having to keep quiet and sit still for two or three hours.

He walked past the workshop, barely able to catch a glimpse of Keira, who had leaned so far into a nearby tool box her legs were kicking up slightly. Daxter snickered as he watched her and when she had clunked her feet back on the floor boards, she noticed him and waved, a wrench in hand. He returned the gesture and laughed; Samos still hadn't allowed Keira to speak to Daxter, but his daughter still managed to find ways to do it. He wondered if she was taking classes as well.

The Sage's hut soon came into view, and Daxter felt a slight twinge of sadness. He missed the open rooms of the Palace, running around barefoot across the polished floors and hiding behind the tall stone pillars with his classmates before school started for the day. He liked his teacher, a young woman named Lena, and how the room they were in was open to the bright sunshine or the beautiful sunset.

"Why are you late?!" barked a voice.

Daxter was unwillingly snapped from his daydreams of home, looking up at Samos apologetically. At first, he'd been somewhat apprehensive of this man, but no longer. Now they just butted heads on occasion; Daxter was quite good at reading people's emotions and mirroring it back to them. Samos often wasted no time in asking him why he was being so petulant.

"_Well_? I'm waiting for an answer!" he fumed.

"I…dunno. I guess I'm just late!"

The Sage looked disapprovingly at him, narrowing his eyes; Daxter mimicked him, putting his hands on his hips. He knew Samos didn't like him, but simply ignored this fact if given the opportunity. Daxter realized his mother would have told him to give Samos a second chance.

"I suppose I'll let that excuse slide, seeing as how we have an important matter to discuss today," the Sage grunted, clunking across the floorboards to briefly look out the window on his left.

Daxter was actually interested at the prospect of something important to do. His eyes drifted to strangely tall plant in the corner, which was bobbing up and down invitingly. He edged closer to it, moving to touch one of the leaves, but Samos yanked him away from it by his arm.

"Don't touch that! A Venus plant could eat a child like you!" he snapped.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" Daxter said, wrestling from his grasp.

He rubbed his arm roughly as two new visitors arrived inside the hut. Samos turned to greet them, replacing his apparent anger for friendliness, which made Daxter roll his eyes. He walked himself into the corner out of habit, seeing as how most of the villagers ignored him whenever they came to visit each other and he happened to be nearby.

"Good to see you again, Geoffrey," Samos was saying, "And thank-you for being so understanding."

"Of course, Samos. I figured Jak needed someone else to interact with at any rate, even if it is our strange little foundling."

Daxter scowled. He wasn't sure what a 'foundling' was, but he knew they were talking about him. With a disgruntled sigh, he jammed his thumb into his mouth as he stared at the vine-tangled walls of the hut. Samos chuckled politely, saying,

"Yes, well, I'm sure he'll be alright- I doubt the boy will have any problems, but if they arise the classes will go back as I had them."

"Alright, fair enough. I'll leave the lad with you today as normal. Have a good morning, Samos."

Daxter rolled his eyes again, still sucking secretly on his thumb. The Sage bade farewell to Geoffrey, turning to their new companion.

"Jak, I'd like you to meet someone- he'll be going to school with you now."

Daxter hurriedly removed his thumb from in between his teeth and turned around swiftly, for fear of being yelled at by Samos. He stared at his feet and avoided everyone's eyes, mumbling the line he'd been taught over the past few weeks.

"Hello and good morning sir, my name is Daxter and I'm a well-adjusted, obedient child."

He stumbled over '_obedient_', and grimaced. A giggle suddenly sounded, and he was surprised by it. After he lifted his gaze, he was aware of the fact a boy was standing in front of him.

A boy his age.

He had kind blue eyes and puffy green hair that stuck up in a strange curl over his forehead. There was a small leather cap on his head, and he wore play clothes that had apparently been scrubbed clean: a pair of blue trousers and a white tunic. He had a button nose and a small smile.

"Daxter, this is Jak," Samos said, "He's your new classmate."

Daxter smiled. "Hi, Jak. Nice to meet you!"

He was actually excited by the idea of going to class with another kid his age. But the other boy frowned at him curiously, looking back up at Samos as if for support. Daxter narrowed his eyes skeptically.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked, unaware of his rudeness.

Samos cracked him over the head with his staff, and Daxter yelped, massaging the spot irritably. He glared at the Sage, still rubbing his head. The other boy giggled.

"Jak is just a little shy," Samos growled, "Don't make fun of him for it."

"…Sorry…" Daxter mumbled.

Class was soon underway. Daxter took his usual seat on the bench in front of a nearby window, making a face after feeling the small bump on his head. Jak sat beside him, waiting patiently for Samos to hand them paper and pencils. He did so, pushing a table up to them so they could write comfortably.

"I trust there will be no repeat incidents from last time, Daxter," Samos told him.

"No, sir," Daxter sighed, taking his pencil from the Sage's hand.

He looked over at Jak and noticed that he seemed curious about something. Daxter smirked as Samos walked away, preparing something for the lesson.

"Last time, I did a trick with my pencil and it flew across the room," he whispered, "And it got stuck in the log on top of his head."

Jak laughed again and Daxter's grin broadened.

"Yeah, I got all kinds of tricks like that."

"-Are we ready to begin, boys?" Samos asked them, clapping his hands together.

Both of them nodded in unison. The lecture started as they always did: talking, talking and more talking. Eventually Daxter found himself doodling on his paper instead of writing down whatever it was he was supposed to, chin cupped heavily in his palm. He could hear the diligent scratching of Jak's pencil and sighed. Already the first boy he'd met in this place was smarter than him- his handwriting even looked better than Daxter's usual scrawl. Samos' lesson was drifting in and out of his hearing as he stared out the window at the islands in the distance, frowning curiously at them.

"…Eco is something we use every day, and hopefully you boys will learn to use it to the best of your ability. Even those of us who aren't Channelers can use Eco, though not as well as others can. It is important to remember that no matter what, we are able to-"

"What's over there?" Daxter interrupted, pointing out the window.

Samos appeared irked at the fact he hadn't been paying attention, though Jak seemed interested as well. The Sage heaved a sigh, turning his gaze to the islands that dotted the horizon.

"The place on the right is Misty Island," he explained, "The other is Geyser Rock. And you are both forbidden to go Misty Island."

Daxter wrinkled his nose; Jak frowned.

"Why?" The former asked.

"Because, Daxter, Lurkers live there. They are not nice creatures, either- they would hurt you and Jak if given the chance."

The redhead felt a strange familiarity in hearing the word 'Lurkers.' A brief memory flashed through his mind: a dark sky, howling wind; the horrible creaking of a ship and several thuds. For some reason, he could see his mother's frightened face; her words raced through his mind in Grek: '_Stay here, my love. Don't move from this spot_.'

"…Are Lurkers big?" he asked, his voice strangely quiet, "Can they break a ship?"

Samos paused, but only for a moment. "Yes, I'm sure they could. But that is not what we're learning about today. Let's get back to Eco, shall we?"

Daxter sighed, wrapping his arms around his stomach. He rocked back in forth slightly in his seat; Jak looked at him in concern.

"I'm okay," Daxter told him.

For some reason, Jak didn't look convinced, but he turned back to listen to Samos at any rate. Daxter squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable with the new memories he'd revisited. The time on the ship was coming back to him, how the waves had thrown them around; the way the lightning flashed through the portholes while he was in the lower decks…His mother had hidden him in the closet.

_Mama! I'm scared!_

_You have to stay here, Daxter. You'll be safe._

_But you can't leave me, Mama!_

He could still feel her touch after she'd embraced him reassuringly, pressing a kiss to his forehead. The longbow had rapped against the closet door as she did so, and he knew she was going to fight someone. And those horrible thuds that rocked the entire ship…

_I love you, Daxter. Stay here, please._

Her words were in Grek. He'd been speaking in English for what felt like forever…with a surge of sadness, he realized he'd forgotten some of his native language.

Daxter's eyes settled on the Sage, whom he could hear, but the words seemed muffled as all of the thoughts raced through his mind. He didn't want to feel like this anymore; he wanted to have more friends, people who didn't look at him like he was so strange. He wanted all the thoughts to go away. Daxter's gaze felt to the pencil sitting between his hands on the desk, the ending still relatively sharp due to his neglect to use it. He gripped it in his hands, looking to Jak, who was still scribbling attentively. Daxter tugged on his sleeve.

"Want to see that trick I was talking about?" he whispered.

Jak smiled broadly and nodded. Daxter sniggered, turning in his seat to wait for Samos to put his back to them. He moved the pencil slightly forward off the desk, sticking his tongue out as he aimed.

"Watch this!"

Daxter made a fist and slammed it down on the end of the pencil that hovered over the edge the desk. Jak watched with wide eyes as the bright yellow projectile tumbled end-over-end through the air. It stuck with a barely audible _tick_ into the log on top of Samos' head, stopping his 'speech' about green Eco. Jak burst into laughter, Daxter soon after. The Sage growled, reaching for the pencil, but finding it too difficult an angle to grasp. He spun around slightly, and the boys' laughter grew.

"Daxter!!" Samos bellowed.

"Yeah?" he giggled.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. Do you see how dirty these walls are? Do you think I like to keep them that way?"

Both Daxter and Jak looked around. The former shook his head, still grinning. Obviously, Samos' apparent fury went over his head.

"_WELL_?!"

"-No, I don't think so," was the reply.

"That's right, and since I've been needing to clean them, the task now goes to you."

Daxter's face fell. "What?!" he hollered.

"That's right," the Sage chuckled. "Tomorrow, instead of going to class, you'll be scrubbing yourself silly."

"You can't do that!"

"I can," Samos paused to finally grasp the pencil and pull it from its place. "And I will."

Daxter grumbled, crossing his arms. Jak still smiled at him, but felt guilty about it. Samos ended class early for the day, and Daxter trudged his way through the village to the beach near Farmer Zeb's hut, jumping straight into the water, clothes and all. He swam around for a bit, watching as the sun completely rose to the middle of the sky, warming water and sand. Daxter was content making a sand castle –complete with a fort and moat- when he became aware someone was watching him. He looked up, only to see Jak standing ahead. Daxter smiled, waving.

"Hey! Want to go swimming?"

Jak nodded, scurrying through the sand to meet him. Daxter scrambled to his feet, realizing that he was taller than his companion, but Jak didn't seem to mind.

"Last one in is a rotten egg!" Daxter shouted.

Both boys ran sprinting into the water and jumped in, tucking their legs up to their chests. A large wave of water shot into the air, and when they resurfaced, laughter filled the small cove. They played around in the shallow end for a long while, until both of them flopped back into the sand, propped up on their elbows. Jak cringed and spat out a few grains of sand, Daxter laughing at him.

"Tastes good, huh?"

Jak shook his head, wiping beads of water from his forehead with his arm. They sat in silence for awhile, Daxter squinting out across the ocean. He turned to face Jak after a moment, smirking.

"Did you like my trick?"

Jak grinned and nodded quickly. Daxter repeated the motion.

"Don't worry. I have a lot more left to show you, Jak," he said with a smile.


	4. Island Hopping

Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze, the moonlight casting spindly shadows across the sand. Sandover Village had long since fallen silent, the windows no long bright with warm yellow light. The waves lapped the shore gently; even the Yakows were asleep soundly in their pens.

But Daxter couldn't sleep- something was preventing it.

As he padded across the grass, which was already slick with dew, he took a moment to breathe in the cool night air and smiled as he looked up at the pearly moon. He'd forgotten how fun it was to run around after dark, with only the stars to guide you. Quietly, he stepped on the boards surrounding the Fisherman's hut, moving past it to the neighboring home. He hooked his fingers over the edge of the rounded window and pulled himself up slightly.

It was dark inside, though he'd been in this hut enough times to know where everything was. He heaved himself further over the window sill so that his feet had left the boards beneath and leaned forward.

"Hey!" he whispered, "Hey, Jak! Wake up."

Daxter rolled his eyes at the unmoving figure before him. He struggled to adjust himself on the sill and reached through the window to grab a fistful of blond hair.

"Wake up, buddy. C'mon!" Daxter hissed.

Jak stirred in his sleep, smacking Daxter's hand away. He finally opened his eyes groggily and jumped in surprise, seeing his friend framed by the window. Daxter stifled a laugh, smiling crookedly at him.

"Let's go inspect that jungle, what do you say?" he asked in a soft whisper, "It'll be really quick- I promise. We'll get out of there if anything's remotely scary, alright?"

Jak looked doubtful, rubbing an eye with his knuckle. Daxter sighed, still struggling to keep himself upright on the window sill. The goggles slipped down over his head as he moved and he pushed them impatiently to the top of his head.

"Are you _really_ going to listen to Log Noggin on this one?"

Jak rolled his eyes, moving to sit up straight, hugging his knees. He looked from his friend back to his uncle, who was asleep on the other side of the room. Jak bit his lip in thought.

"I can't keep this up, pal," Daxter told him, losing his grip in the sill.

Jak couldn't help laughing. His friend heaved an irritated sigh, obviously tired of waiting. He seized Jak's wrist and pulled.

"You're coming."

Daxter pulled Jak through the window by his arm, much to the latter's annoyance. Unfortunately, he slipped on the way out and fell, crushing Daxter beneath him. Jak smothered a laugh in his arm as his friend struggled to free himself.

"Get offa me," he grumbled, "Should've known better."

Jak grinned and scrambled to his feet, helping him along. Together they left the porch of Jak's home and quietly walked through the sleeping village. Daxter was rubbing the spot on his shoulder where Jak's elbow had dug into him.

"Jeez. I shoulda known you were so clumsy- you did pick up that wumpbee nest, after all."

Jak scowled and pushed him. Daxter laughed, only stumbling a few steps. He shrugged, looking back at his friend with a smirk.

"Hey, I told you not to touch it! And it ruined your birthday- but now you know to listen to me next time."

Jak looked at him crookedly as if he didn't believe him, gently massaging one of the leftover bumps the stinging insects had caused. Daxter couldn't help snickering and Jak shoved him again.

Both of the boys had grown into close friends over the four years past, and they were inseparable ever since they'd first met for classes in Samos' hut. Daxter was often causing most of the trouble, but Jak wasn't without his moments; the wumpbee 'incident' was one of the first misfortunes to be a mistake- though Samos was quick to blame Daxter for it.

He and the Sage were still not on friendly speaking terms, as conversations between the two were often short and filled with subtle insults toward one another, though Daxter's were more obvious. The boy had mastered the art of sarcasm, even at the young age of nine, and his remarks grew more caustic as the years went on. His shyness had apparently disappeared following his seventh birthday, after Jak had been his friend for two years and Keira had been allowed to attend the daily classes with the boys. It was then the irreversible curiosity his mother had promised them years ago finally came shining through.

Tonight was no exception.

Daxter stopped himself from whistling as he and Jak hopped down the little hill leading toward Farmer Zeb's hut, walking through the sand so as not to make much noise. Jak yawned as they trudged through the damp shore and Daxter heaved a sigh.

"Don't make me start throwing mud balls at you," he warned quietly, "It got you to move last time we snuck out at night."

Jak narrowed his eyes. He remembered that, of course. They hadn't been caught, but his uncle wondered how he could have gotten so dirty over night and forced him to take a bath before classes. And Daxter had guffawed at the sight of Jak's shiny, ridiculously curly hair the entire time.

Not wanting to risk such humiliation again, he quickened his pace as they walked past the farmer's house. Daxter ran ahead of him, a goofy smile lighting his face, his crooked front teeth poking out at odd angles. Jak shook his head.

"C'mon! Don't be a baby," Daxter told him.

Jak watched as his friend stopped in front of the tall wooden fence blocking their way into what the Sage had called, 'The Forbidden Forest.' Daxter rolled his eyes as Jak appeared at his shoulder, looking apprehensive.

"I told you, if anything is even _a little_ scary, we'll leave. Got it?"

Jak still looked doubtful, and Daxter sighed, leaning against the fence. He crossed his arms and gave his friend a pointed look.

"Why would Ol' Green Stuff say it's 'Forbidden' anyway? That makes it more interesting! He's just trying to scare us. It's a bunch of trees and some bugs and stuff like that. I think it'll be fun- let's check it out!"

Daxter turned to face the fence and climbed it like a ladder, sticking his tongue out as he went. Jak watched on nervously, hoping he wouldn't fall off and break his neck, as Samos had warned them when climbing trees. Soon, Daxter had reached the top and waved down at him, coaxing him along.

"Come _on_, Jak!" he called in harsh whisper.

He sighed, complying with not only his friend's persistence, but his own level of curiosity. Just as he set his foot on the first 'rung' of the fence, a blinding light illuminated them in a hot yellow glow. Daxter yelped, covering his eyes. The barrier groaned as he adjusted his weight too quickly.

"Jak! Daxter! Just what do you think you're doing?!" Samos bellowed.

The latter jumped down from the fence, rubbing his eyes roughly. He pointed to Jak.

"It was all his idea! He made me do it!"

Jak scowled and shook his head, holding out his arms in disbelief. Daxter smirked at him, causing his friend to poke out his tongue.

"I don't care whose fault it was," Samos growled, "I will never see either of you here again without permission! Just think of the example you're setting for Keira."

"But she's only a year younger than us," Daxter pointed out.

Samos narrowed his eyes threateningly, and the boy quickly shut his mouth, teeth clacking together slightly. His crooked ones still poked out from under his lip and Jak smirked. Cody always made fun of him for that, claiming his teeth were that way because he'd sucked his thumb too much as a kid; Jak had always wondered if it were true, but Samos snapped him from his thoughts and he straightened up where he stood.

"Since you two think you're above my authority," he began, "You'll be forced to scrub the floors of my hut_ and_ the workshop, for a week-"

"Ah, that doesn't sound so bad," Daxter said, punching Jak lightly on the shoulder.

"-With toothbrushes," Samos finished.

Both Jak and Daxter's mouths hung open. The redhead was quickly angered.

"What?! That's ridiculous! I clean that stupid place all the time- it can't be that dirty!!" he wailed.

"It is, Daxter, believe me. First thing tomorrow, boys. I'll have everything set up for you- now get back to bed this instant, unless you want roses to sprout from your heads."

They scurried off without further argument, even Daxter, who clambered into his little hut situated by itself near the hill leading down to the beach. Jak crawled back through the window of Geoffrey's hut and back into his bed. Samos heaved a sigh and shook his head, wishing Mina had been able to tell him more about her son before her passing…

The boy was getting to be too much to handle.

*******

The scratching of toothbrushes filled the Sage's hut from sunrise through the afternoon. Daxter resented the fact that this task was so boring; his fingers had started to hurt from gripping the brush and his knees were numb from crawling around all morning. He grumbled as he worked, rolling his eyes before he glanced over at Jak, who was scrubbing thoroughly on the other side of the room. Daxter threw down his toothbrush and flopped on to his back, accidently cracking his head against the hardwood floor. He made a face and rubbed the spot roughly, staring up at the strange ceiling of the hut.

"I'm beginning to think he likes using us for slaves," Daxter said.

Jak shook his head, still scrubbing away, dunking his brush in the small bucket beside him before continuing his work. Daxter rolled on to his stomach, cupping his chin heavily in his palm, looking distastefully at the red-handled toothbrush lying a few feet away.

"This isn't fair, y'know- these floors are_ never_ clean!"

Daxter lifted his gaze to his friend still working on his respective corner of the room. He chewed on his lip absently and rested his head on his arms, kicking his legs as he waited for Jak to turn around.

"You aren't mad at me, are you, buddy?"

Jak looked over his shoulder at him, shaking his head. He threw down his toothbrush as well and flopped on to his back, sighing. Daxter smirked.

"Thought so."

The two of them stared up at the ceiling for a moment, listening to the birds tweet in the palms outside, the distant lapping of the waves on the shore. It was then Daxter was struck with an idea. He scrambled to his feet, stretching. Jak looked over at him with a frown.

"I don't know about you," Daxter sighed, "but I'm getting really tired doing all this work. How 'bout we take a quick little break? Go some place fun for a change!"

Jak nodded excitedly, bouncing to his feet as well. He started toward the door, but Daxter grabbed his arm. Jak turned back to him, confused.

"Naw, first we got to make it look like we cleaned more than we did."

Daxter ran up to his bucket of suds and kicked it over, washing the floorboards with a great wave of water. Sunlight sparkled on the surface as he watched the water trickle through the cracks. He looked over at Jak and gestured with his arm.

"Your turn, buddy."

Jak knocked over the bucket and laughed, exchanging grins with Daxter. The redhead snatched up the toothbrushes from the floor and held them up disgustedly.

"Now to get rid of these things so Grandpa Green can never make us use them again!"

He spun on his heel and ambled over to the large blue and green spotted Venus plant in the corner, its sharp teeth doing nothing to crush his enthusiasm. Jak watched somewhat fearfully, his hand pressed over his mouth. Daxter threw the toothbrushes at the plant and it opened its mouth at once, snapping its jaws loudly as it swallowed. He laughed, clapping his hands together.

"There we go- problem solved!"

Jak sighed in relief, happy Daxter didn't get his hand gnawed off. He watched as his friend walked back up to him, slipping slightly in the soapy water beneath them.

"Ready to have fun, now?" he asked.

The fair-haired boy nodded, and Daxter smirked. He carefully walked through the puddles they'd created, stumbling only once before stopping in front of the warp gate hanging from the wall. It was dormant for the time they were working, but Daxter seemed annoyed by this. Sticking out his tongue, he jumped and stomped on the switch lying on the floor. The warp gate sprang to life, swirling strangely above them. Jak gazed up at it open-mouthed, blinking as his friend turned excitedly to face him. Daxter jerked his thumb at the blue-tinged portal above them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Let's go to Geyser Rock!" he squealed, "It'll be so cool!"

Jak closed his mouth and shook his head, so fast his hair went flying around him. Daxter's shoulders slouched and his face fell. He heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Not this _again_! Take my word for it, Jak- what is on Geyser Rock that could possibly hurt us? We've been there with Samos before; he showed us around, remember?"

The other boy looked thoughtful, large sapphire eyes trained upward as he turned over Daxter's words in his mind. The redhead waited impatiently, crossing his arms and tapping his feet in the puddles beneath them. He trained his eyes on the warp gate longingly. Jak finally walked into his view and smirked at him, pointing ahead. Daxter grinned.

"Alright! I knew you'd come around!"

The two friends edged close to the gate, exchanging smiles. They grabbed each other's arm and jumped through the portal at the same time. A strange swirl of blue-white light surrounded them almost instantly, and it felt as though they were being pulled along hard by each wrist. The sensation was soon over quickly, and Daxter found himself plopped on solid ground. He laughed excitedly, stomping through the long grass as Jak tumbled out of the warp gate behind them. Daxter pulled his friend upright, saying,

"We made it! See, that wasn't so bad. I told you there's nothing to be afraid of!"

The boys turned to begin walking around, but Daxter slammed into something. He pulled away, rubbing his nose irritably, looking up at the object. His eyes widened.

"AHHHH!"

Tripping over his own feet, he ran back through the grass away from the monster that was sure to grab him up in his arms and eat him. Jak didn't follow, and Daxter wheeled around frantically, waving his arms.

"Run, Jak! It's going to _eat_ you!!"

The blond boy just laughed, shaking his head. Daxter frowned, watching as he walked back up to the 'monster' and kicked it. With a strange rattling sound, it shimmied, but did not move. Jak kicked it again, and the 'monster' repeated its strange cry. Daxter's frown deepened and he felt his cheeks turning red in embarrassment.

"Oh. It's one of those scarecrow thingy's….oops."

Jak laughed at him again, trudging through the grass to meet him. Daxter stuck out his tongue. He tagged along behind Jak and they continued their way through Geyser Rock, looking around curiously.

"You _know_ Samos made those things to scare us," Daxter huffed, kicking at a few pebbles, "And if not you, then me."

Jak sighed and rolled his eyes. The boys enjoyed running around the island unattended, free to play around with the scarecrows and literally beat the hay out of them as much as they wanted. Daxter led the charge, tackling the dummies with all the strength he had, proceeding to hammer them 'senseless' with a large stick they'd found at the beach. Jak sat back and watched more than he attacked anything, flopping to the ground because of the weakening laughter. He giggled until it hurt, holding his stomach. Daxter grinned sheepishly, the hay stuck amidst the unruly tangles of his hair.

They fiddled around with the tiny green eco energies Samos had told them about, and had fun accidentally making the grass grow longer and causing random flowers to sprout from the sand. Around mid-afternoon when the sun was its brightest, Daxter and Jak found themselves sitting in the sand, giggling as the cloud of vapor washed over them from the nearby geysers. The village was just visible ahead, and they could see the windmill turning lazily from the circle of huts.

Daxter sighed and allowed himself a smile, watching the waves roll up over the shore. He liked it here better than the village; the air was warmer and saltier just the way he liked it. The place reminded him of home, the only thing missing being the cottage he used to live in. A thought suddenly came to him, and his eyes swiveled lazily over to Jak, who was drawing shapes in the wet sand with his finger.

"Hey."

Jak looked over at him, squinting in the sun. Daxter pursed his lips and sat up straighter, folding his legs.

"…Do you remember your mom? I mean, I know you're like me- you're parents are gone too. I could be wrong, though," he paused to roll his eyes, "Ol' Green Stuff smacked me over the head every time I asked about you."

Jak smirked, but nodded his reply. He gripped a handful of his blond hair and pointed to his eyes. Daxter arched an eyebrow, but seemed to understand.

"So, she looked like you?"

His friend nodded again as another wave of vapor washed over them from the geysers. Daxter hugged his knees, tilting his head slightly.

"What about your dad? Do you remember him? I can't picture mine…he doesn't come back in my dreams or anything. I really wish he did."

Jak bit his lip, as if thinking. Daxter watched patiently, rocking back and forth slightly, still hugging his knees. His friend made a strange face, one that mixed disappointment and sadness. Jak looked back at him and shook his head.

"It's okay if you don't remember. I can't." Daxter sighed, moving to pull the last few strands of straw from his hair. "But I'm pretty sure he's got red hair like I do…and I dunno, something tells me he was tall."

They fell into silence, once again watching the horizon thoughtfully. For some reason, Daxter felt better after talking to Jak, in spite of the fact he did enough talking for the both of them. But he really didn't mind talking so often, seeing as how he'd always been encouraged to speak his mind.

The vapor cloud settled over them again, and Daxter wrinkled his nose. He turned around to locate the geyser and found it wasn't that far away-within walking distance through the sandbar. Rolling to his feet, he brushed the sand from his clothes and headed toward it. Jak frowned curiously at him as he walked away; Daxter waved his hand to coax him along. The two boys ambled along the beach, making deep grooves in the sand as they went, training their gazes on the towering rocks ahead that formed one of the geysers. The cloud of steam fell over them once again and Daxter squinted through the haze, clambering on to a few of the rocks. Jak climbed up beside him, panting slightly.

"Come on this way, buddy. I want to teach you another trick- we used to do this back home all the time."

Daxter continued his trek across the slippery rocks with Jak following close behind, determined to keep his balance. He stumbled only once, catching a fistful of grass to keep his balance. Daxter snickered at him and Jak rolled his eyes. He watched as his friend vaulted up on to a ledge above them, his feet scraping up dirt as he went. Daxter stretched down his arm and Jak grasped his hand, pushing from the ground as he was pulled up. Once both boys were up on the ledge, they struggled their feet in order to gaze up at the geyser that towered above them. Jak's mouth had fallen open slightly and he was too caught up in marveling how tall the rocks were to notice Daxter had left him to go in search of something.

Jak blinked as the gentle waves of vapor fell over him; the geyser hissed above and shot up a trail of water into the sky, the highest up he could see, black birds circling around the island over them. He smiled, watching as the sun sparkled through the water droplets, creating small rainbows. A sudden thud snapped him unwillingly from his thoughts. Frowning, he turned to watch as Daxter came back into view, dragging a large stone slab along with him. He waited until the geyser had slowed, then hurriedly pushed it on top of the rock. Jak walked up to him, a skeptical look across his face.

"Hey there! Check it out- I made us a floating teeter-totter!"

Daxter jerked a thumb to the geyser and the stream of water came shooting up once again, taking the stone slab with it. After the flow subsided, the rock fell back to the ground with a small clacking sound. Daxter looked over at Jak excitedly, his tongue clamped between his teeth.

"Come on! Let's try it out!"

Before Jak could shake his head, Daxter had already seized his arm and yanked him along. They both hopped on the stone block and waited, the redhead bouncing excitedly on his feet. The geyser rumbled beneath them and the water shot up, taking them along with it. Daxter burst into guffaws as they flew into the air; Jak was less than excited. He latched on tight to his friend, eyes wide in fear as they went soaring into the air.

"Look! I can see my house from here!!!"

Jak tightened his grip around Daxter's arm, whimpering as they hovered precariously above the ground, able to hear the cawing birds above them. He soon found out that falling was ten times worse than going up, and both boys screamed as they fell, though for both very different reasons. As the rock cracked back down to the ground, Daxter whooped, jumping around excitedly. Jak punched his arm.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

Jak glared at him, his hair in disarray, clothes sopping wet from the water.

"Oh, you didn't think it was fun, huh?" Daxter asked, droplets falling from his hair and chin. He was almost sorry to be grinning like a fool, but he felt so happy.

Jak shook his head furiously, crossing his arms.

"I'm sorry, buddy, but you gotta try it again! I promise I'll be with you the whole time, alright? We used to do this kind of thing all the time at home- I'm an expert!"

Daxter was disappointed to see his friend refuse the offer once again. His shoulders slouched and he heaved a sigh. The geyser rumbled once again beneath them and the fear returned to Jak's eyes. He hurried to leave the slab they stood on, but Daxter grabbed his arm.

"Aw, please Jak? Stay for one more try!"

He shook his head as the water began to pool below, trying to wrestle out of Daxter's hold. The geyser erupted once again; Jak had managed to wrestle free and jumped from the rock as fast as he could. Unfortunately, he pressed down too far on one side as he went, causing the block to wobble. Daxter was thrown off of it and he howled as he tumbled end over end upward as the stream of water launched him higher than before. Jak's eyes widened as he watched his friend fly through the air, coming back toward the ground at an alarming speed. He screamed as he fell, still tumbling. When he hit the sand, there came a dull crunching sound and Jak slapped his hands over his mouth, sprinting to meet Daxter as he lay motionless on the beach.

Jak knew it was his fault he had gotten hurt; he should have tried it one more time instead of being afraid. Now his best friend was seriously hurt because he'd been a coward. Shaking his head, Jak fell beside Daxter, shaking his shoulder slightly. The boy's eyes fluttered open and he jumped, suddenly remembering where he was. He struggled to his feet, groaning and rubbing his head.

"Ugh…what- what happened?"

Jak's eyes were as wide as saucers and his mouth had practically clanged open. Daxter scowled at him.

"_What_?"

He pointed frantically. Daxter rolled his eyes.

"I'm okay, Jak. You're just a baby- I fell off because you were being st-AHHHHHH!!"

Jak pressed his hands over his ears and cringed, watching as the redheaded boy ran around in a panic, trying to move his arm, which was now hanging limply from its socket and twisted at a strange angle.

"OhmyGod! I'm a mutant!" Daxter howled, "My elbow is pointing the wrong way!! Help! HELP!!"

Jak's palms were still firmly pressed over his ears as he searched for anything to assist them, his friend still screeching about his arm. He ran around in hysteric circles, his limb flopping around uselessly as he went.

"Ow, ow, OW! It hurts!!"

An idea suddenly struck Jak. He spun on his heel and ran from the beach, ignoring the angry shouts of Daxter as he left the beach back to the long grass. The green eco energies were still floating around in large clusters where they'd left them, and he tried to collect as many as he could, remembering what Samos had told him about channeling eco: _you can use it to help people more than anything. All you must do is make sure you don't over use it. You have gift Jak, so be sure to get the most out of it. _He sprinted back to Daxter as fast as his legs would allow, panting like a dog from the effort.

"My arm is broken!! It's _broken_!!"

Jak winced at the shrill sounds, but ran up to his friend in spite of them. He danced around Daxter for a moment, seeing as how he wasn't letting him anywhere near the wounded appendage.

"Get away! You're gonna make it worse!"

Jak frowned and finally pressed his hands to Daxter's forearm, watching as the eco he channeled flashed a bright green before jumping from him to the wounded arm. Daxter had squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation, bracing himself for more pain. Instead, numbness only came to him and he popped open an eye to see what had happened. Jak's smiling face came into view, and he pointed excitedly. Daxter gazed down at his arm to see with intense relief, that his elbow was now pointing the correct way. Grimacing slightly, he moved around to get the feeling back, aware that he would have a severe bruise, but nothing was broken any longer. Jak laughed. Daxter narrowed his eyes, but grinned. He brought Jak into a grateful hug, saying,

"Thank the Precursors for you, buddy."

He pulled away, massaging the bruises angrily. Jak watched him curiously, but still smiled. Daxter snorted as they headed back to the warp gate, shaking his head.

"Yeah, thank the Precursors, but I'm still mad at you."

Jak snickered and stuck out his tongue. Daxter happily returned the gesture.


End file.
